Course Description
Offered by Harvard Business Review . Strategy isn’t just for executives—it’s everyone’s business. To succeed in a competitive environment, ... Enroll for free.
Overview
"Act Strategically" is a beginner-level Coursera course offered by the Harvard Business Review (HBR), clocking in at about 10 hours. It focuses on making strategy accessible to everyone—not just executives—helping learners succeed in competitive environments. With its free enrollment option, it's designed to democratize strategic thinking for everyday professionals.
Who It's For
This course suits absolute beginners with no prior strategy knowledge, as its beginner level suggests little to no prerequisites. It's ideal for early-career professionals, small business owners, or anyone in non-leadership roles aiming to build foundational strategic skills for career growth or daily decision-making. Self-paced learners who prefer short, bite-sized Coursera modules (totaling 10 hours) will thrive here, rather than those needing rigid schedules or deep dives.
Strengths
- Prestigious source: Backed by Harvard Business Review, which brings credible, real-world business insights you can trust for beginner strategy concepts.
- Accessible and concise: At just 10 hours and beginner-friendly, it lowers the barrier to entry, making strategic thinking approachable without overwhelming time demands.
- Practical emphasis: The description highlights strategy as "everyone’s business" for competitive success, suggesting a focus on applicable skills over dry theory.
- Free access: Enroll for free, which maximizes value without financial risk—perfect for testing the waters on HBR content.
- Broad appeal: Positions strategy for non-executives, a smart angle that fills a gap for everyday workers.
Weaknesses
- Limited depth potential: As a short 10-hour beginner course, it likely skims the surface without advanced topics or rigorous analysis, disappointing those wanting comprehensive strategy frameworks.
- Sparse details available: With minimal public info on curriculum, instructors, quizzes, or videos, it's hard to gauge hands-on elements like projects—buyer's remorse risk for detail-oriented learners.
- Not for experts: Advanced professionals or executives seeking nuanced case studies will find it too basic, lacking the rigor HBR is known for in longer formats.
Curriculum Highlights
Unfortunately, specific module details aren't provided in the course data, so we can't pinpoint standout sections. That said, the title and description suggest a standout focus on practical strategic action for non-executives, likely covering essentials like competing effectively in business environments—making it a concise intro to applying strategy daily rather than a full syllabus breakdown.
Value Assessment
Absolutely worth the time (just 10 hours) since it's free to enroll, offering solid ROI through HBR's brand prestige for resume-building or skill refreshers. No paid certificate details are given, but Coursera's free audit mode lets you access core content without cost; paid upgrades (if available) add shareable credentials. Compared to pricier alternatives like full HBR subscriptions or MBA previews, this is a low-risk entry point—though longer free options (e.g., other Coursera strategy intros) might offer more breadth.
Bottom Line
Take this if you're a beginner dipping into strategy or need a quick HBR-branded boost for your professional toolkit—it's a no-brainer at 10 free hours. Skip it if you want in-depth content or already have strategy basics down.
Rating
7.5/10
Strong for its brevity, free access, and HBR credibility as a beginner intro, but docked for limited visible depth and lack of detailed curriculum info that could reveal more value.